


Disenchanted

by WizardMeTimbers



Category: Pirate101, Wizard101
Genre: Crossover, Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-06-15
Updated: 2018-03-14
Packaged: 2018-07-15 07:58:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,487
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7214167
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WizardMeTimbers/pseuds/WizardMeTimbers
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Penelope Silversong is banished from Wizard City and stripped of her Wizard title, it seems a pair of pirate captains and their crew are the only ones who can help. However it appears the pirates have some problems of their own and their help may not come free.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

  Loneliness is an emotion you think you understand. You think you know how it feels; it’s that emptiness, or that lump in your throat, or the chill you can’t be rid of. You are familiar with that feeling, until one day you experience true loneliness. It changes your whole view on the sentiment.  
  And then again you experience it even more intensely than before, and your entire ideal changes once more.  
 It’s hard to imagine a stronger loneliness than what you’re experiencing at that moment, until that next time comes around. When you realize how wrong you were before.  
 Day vanished behind the Mooshu Village, Night swiftly taking its place. Just as quickly as the sun had, the inhabitants of the town seemed to wink out of existence.  
 I shivered, not only because of the icy autumn air but also the coldness growing in the pit of my stomach. At least when the others were around I could pretend. Pretend I had a purpose, pretend to blend in. Now here I was, exposed and alone.  
 I got up from my perch on a low fence post and tucked my numb hands under my arms. The dirt road crunched softly under my boots. I occupied my mind by trying to step lighter.. softer. I struggled to ignore the happy glow of candles behind windows as I passed through the village, watching the darkness at my feet instead.  
 I’d just turned onto an intersecting road when the darkness ahead of me suddenly lit up. A warm orange glow outlined my black shadow, the light flickering insubstantially. I spun around just as a rough voice shouted, “Hello?!”  
 I flinched away from the bright torch; squinting my eyes to make out the lit face of a Mooshu soldier. The bull sighed in a worn out sort of way, “Hello, girl?” he raised the torch forward and his face disappeared in shadow, “Sorry to bother you, but I need to check your papers.”  
 I ran.  
 I’d learned already it was a bad idea to try and reason with the soldiers; they upheld the law fiercely. When I’d first come to this place, I had not even realized papers allowing my visit were needed. It was surprisingly easy to board the boat setting out for a quiet Mooshuin village. No one stopped me from walking out onto the dock. No one bothered me when I bought a basket of food with a small bit of the gold I had left. It wasn’t until that first night that I met my first soldier.  
 It wasn’t until the next day that I realized I had no way to leave.  
 It was a flawed system. Let them break the law; let them come without legal papers. But be sure that they will be caught when they do.  
 I had a head start on the soldier; he hadn’t been expecting me to run. I heard a faint curse and then the sound of jangling armor and pounding hooves starting up in pursuit. “Stop!” I heard him call.  
 I took advantage of the darkness and the clustered shops on this street. As soon as I’d rounded a corner and was out of the soldier’s line of vision, I ducked between two shops. Another instant later I heard a second curse of the bull realizing he’d lost sight of me.  
 I did not stop to rest there, though. I began to feel my way blindly through the labyrinth of buildings, occasional shoots of moonlight teasing me just a few steps away. I couldn’t control the shivering back here; the cold seed in the pit of my stomach grew so I was frozen inside and out.  
 I finally collapsed, pressing desperately against the warm planks of a shop. I curled up, wrapping my arms around myself and felt my heart beating furiously; as if it were determined to warm me, but the chill was seated too deep.  
 It took me a minute to notice the spill of light across the packed dirt floor. I peeked up, prepared to be disappointed by the lit back window of a family home. The sight of a shop’s front porch surprised me, however.  
 It was so odd it took me a second to agree on its reality. The squished, little shop was facing the wrong direction, so although I was crouched in a back alley I was staring at the front door. An unfamiliar picture of a purple bottle dangled from the overhanging roof.  
 The building seemed lopsided, so that it was almost as if it were looming over me. The glowing windows watching, waiting to see what I would do.  
 I crawled forward hesitantly, drawn to the promise of warmth but a strange mood that was settled over the building kept me cautious. I pushed myself up and shuffled to the wooden steps. They felt weak under my feet, as if they were waiting for just the right moment to give in. I made my way up quickly and across the warped porch. Opening the door, I was greeted with a wave of heat that made my frozen finger tips sting.  
 The scene inside was just as unusual as the outside.  
 At first glance it might be a normal tea shop, although unkempt and rundown. The patrons of the shop were anything but average though. The figures glared at me silently in the dim candlelight, an assortment of races from many worlds dressed in anything from heavy armor to worn leather. Yet there was an equality between them, something in their grim expressions and worn faces.  
 Then there were the weapons. The occupants didn’t attempt to conceal the collection of various swords and guns displayed on belts and slung across backs.  
 My heart beat frantically, the chill wrapping itself around me again. It froze me to the spot, my hand wrapped tightly around the door frame until my fingers turned white.  
 However, a familiar scent drifted through the shop, finally hitting me in the doorway. It was the smell of food and the dull ache in my stomach spiked. I gripped my side and my stomach growled with hunger.  
 I had to ration my small amount of gold, only eating the bare minimum since I had no way to earn more money until I escaped this town. Still, my body protested at the smell of what I was sure was apple pie and stepped softly into the room.  
 I pulled the door closed slowly behind me, as if one sudden move would set off the inhabitants of the shop like a predator ready to strike. I fixed my eyes on an empty table towards the back of the restaurant and moved purposefully, trying my best to ignore the terrifying gazes following me. As soon as I took my seat, it was like a switch had been flipped and low murmurs started up again throughout the room.  
 I clasped my hands together and stared at the table, focusing on slowing my breathing. I barely noticed the goat until he cleared his throat, causing me to jump back and my chair squeaked painfully along the ground. The goat’s grey coat was greasy and tangled. One of his ears was pierced with a thick silver hoop that caused it to droop over one eye and a stained apron was tied around his waist. He crossed his arms impatiently and tapped one hoof on the ground.  
 “You gonna tell me what you want?” His voice sent shivers down my spine, the way a screeching cat would.  
 “Um,” I choked, my mouth dry. I swallowed and tried again, “Um, what- what do you have?” My voice sounded strange in my ears, smaller and pitiful.  
 The goat looked incredulous and was about to speak when something moved swiftly into the seat across from me, causing us both to jump.  
 It was a girl. Older than me, possibly nineteen or twenty, with the same grim look as the others, yet there was a bright intenseness in her dark amber eyes that was unique, almost scary.  
 My stomach tightened in fear, was she here to turn me in? Maybe she worked for the Mooshu army. My breathing started to become panicked again.  
 “Two bottles of Yum,” She told the goat.  
 The goat nodded, “Yes Captain,” and ambled off.  
 I opened my mouth but could think of nothing to say. I could only sit there and stare, fear occupying every part of my mind.  
 The girl didn’t particularly look like one of the Mooshuins. She wore a simple, loose, off-white blouse tucked into trousers. A long navy blue coat hung off her shoulders. I swallowed nervously at a glimpse of sharp silver under the coat.  
 I met the girl’s eyes and jumped when I noticed her observing me in turn. She leaned forward suddenly, a scowl set on her tanned face. She had strong, intimidating features and her ebony hair was pulled into a tight, formal ponytail.  
 “You’re staring,” she informed me, “you know that’s rude, right?” Her voice was rough, as if it had been once melodic and pleasing, yet had been worn over time by the same things that set such a troubled expression on her face. “Besides, you look like an idiot.” She sat back up sharply with the last words.  
 I sucked in a breath, finding in me somewhere amongst all my worries to be offended. However, I averted my gaze to the table. “Thanks,” I choked out, “for whatever Yum is…”  
 I glanced up to see the girl still glaring, her expression unreadable beyond “angry”. She seemed about to speak when the goat reappeared. Two bottles slid in front of us and the girl captain nodded in his direction, sliding a couple pieces of gold in return.  
 I examined the glass bottle in front of me carefully. It curved whimsically, the rich purple liquid on the inside so starkly out of place in a forbidding place such as this. I slowly worked the cork out and watched it fizz and creep slowly up the nose.  
 I had never seen a drink like this before. I nervously peeked up at the girl and watched her tip her own bottle back. Assuming it must be safe, I followed her example.  
 I quickly regretted the decision, slamming the drink back on the table and coughing forcefully. I’ve been poisoned, I thought frantically, clutching at my burning throat. My eyes watered and I coughed again, weakly this time.  
 I looked up at the girl, wondering desperately why she would do this. Her eyes were wide, she actually looked worried. I vaguely wondered in the back of my mind why the girl who just poisoned me would look distressed.  
 “Calm down,” She warned me, glancing around the room anxiously, “it’s just a soda, the feeling will fade.”  
 I blinked up at her, processing her words. Sure enough, I realized I felt perfectly fine. I wiped at my tears and felt my face burning with embarrassment.  
 “There,” She cleared her throat, quickly resuming her stern, unreadable expression. She took a quick sip of her Yum, I watched her in disbelief. Why would someone willingly drink that?  
 “I’m sorry..” I squeaked, “But, who are you?”  
 She looked vaguely surprised, as if she hadn’t realized I didn’t know yet. She shoved her hand across the table, “Right, Captain Catalina Orleans.”  
 I shook the offered hand weakly, “Um, Penelope Silversong.”  
 “Silversong?” She raised an eyebrow, “what an interesting name.” I frowned in confusion, but before I had a chance to comment, Catalina continued. “And behind you there is my partner, Crazy Destiny.”  
 I twisted in my seat and saw the girl staring absentmindedly at nothing. She was younger than Catalina, more likely closer to my own age, seventeen or eighteen. The girl’s long blonde hair was strewn in every direction and she wore the same comfortable looking clothing as the Captain. Across her lap however, was a musket, and she was stroking it the way one might pet a cat.  
 “Crazy?” I echoed hesitantly.  
 Catalina didn’t offer an answer, but her lip twitched as if trying to fight a smile.  
 I glanced nervously back and forth between the two girls, wondering why they were taking an interest in me. My mind could not conjure any pleasant scenarios. I began to slowly back my chair away, urgently looking for excuses to make my escape.  
 As if reading my mind, Catalina darted forward, leaning across the table. My heart pounded, every part of me screaming to run at the wild look in her eyes.  
 The girl whipped her arm across the table, grabbing mine tightly. My breathing came out choked, she was crazy. Everyone in the room was crazy. I began to feel every stare at my back, every hushed conversation directed at me.  
 Catalina spoke to me, her voice intense and hushed; dark golden eyes glowing from under her strong brow. “Penelope, we need to talk.”  
 I would have answered if I could, but instead I felt my eyes welling with tears.. with fear.  
 The girl’s gaze darted around the room, as if she were feeling the same glares. “Not here though, somewhere private.” She turned her gaze back to mine, looking almost desperate. “We need your help.”  
 My heart was pounding and my lungs burned painfully with the struggle of each breath. A small part in the back of my mind tried to calm me, but the panic overpowered it. Somewhere I knew there was something I should do. Anything to try and save me from this situation, but I found myself frozen, staring into the girl’s intense gaze.  
 Catalina seemed to visibly shake herself out of her trance. We stared at each other for a second longer before she suddenly darted around the table, dragging me with her. Her grip never loosened as I was pulled through the shop, now I knew for sure everyone was staring at us. I helplessly watched their eyes follow our path forged by Catalina.  
 The younger girl, Destiny, trailed behind us with an indifferent air. Her gaze was aimed ahead of her, but it almost seemed like she was looking at something far away only she could see. The musket hung carelessly from her grip, swinging just inches from the ground.  
 I turned forward again and tried to stumble along faster, to ease the pressure on my arm from the insistent captain. It was hard to think clearly and my legs trembled as they tried to keep up. But even the small part of my mind that remained clear and reasonable could not see any way out of this situation.  
 Was I simply being led to my execution? I had no idea what I’d done to these people, but from the look in their eyes it seemed they’d gladly take any helpless passerby. It just so happened I was the victim now.  
 I hoped it was just my imagination that some of the larger figures in the shop started to stand up and we passed by, leaning towards us menacingly. Catalina only quickened her pace in response so that we were almost sprinting by the time we reached the door. I felt some relief that it seemed Catalina was just as desperate to get out of that place as I was. I slipped my gaze back to Destiny, who was making her way after us leisurely. However, no one seemed to take any interest in her passage, all eyes on us.  
 I would have cringed back from the shock of the cold as we burst violently through the door, but the determined captain never gave me a chance to hesitate. Instead I struggled to keep my violent shivers under control. The insane gleam in Catalina’s eye as she scanned the scene behind her did not help.  
 Thankfully though, she did slow her pace once we dashed into one of the alleys. I couldn’t tell if it was the one I came from or not, but the dark confined space wasn’t helping with my breathing and I felt it becoming even more restricted.  
“Catalina.”  
 The voice came so softly from behind us that I didn’t register it at first over my panicked thoughts. Catalina seemed to pick up on it immediately though and abruptly halted her charge. In the sudden absence of movement, my uncontrollable shaking was much more noticeable and the captain released my wrist in surprise.  
 I rubbed it sorely and heaved a sigh of relief, yet could still find no voice to speak. Regardless, Catalina’s attention was fixed intently on something behind me. I shifted to follow her gaze and was startled to see Destiny a couple feet away. I’d completely forgotten about the second girl following.  
 “Cat,” she reiterated, coming to stand directly in front of the older girl. Destiny stood at least a foot shorter than Catalina and had to tilt her head back in order to look the captain in the eye. However, it didn’t diminish the smaller girl’s authority. She somehow looked powerful gazing up at the taller woman.  
 I couldn’t tell what was going on in the moment of silence, but some sort of agreement seemed to be reached. Catalina sighed and relaxed her stiff pose slightly and rubbed a hand over her face. Destiny turned to me with an unnerving gaze and tilted her head to the side, causing a cascade of platinum hair over her shoulder. I couldn’t help but take explicit notice of the musket dangling haphazardly from her fingers.  
 The panic started to return. I now knew for sure this was the end, what other possible reason was there for two psychotic women to drag me into a dark alley way in the middle of the night? I sunk down to my knees and started to mumble prayers to Moodha, the Titans, and any other deity in the Spiral I could think of.  
 “Nice going Cat,” a soft yet harsh voice said above me.  
 “Sorry!” the captain’s voice returned, “you know we had to get out of there quickly.”  
 A hand rested on my shoulder and I jerked back violently. Hesitantly I raised my gaze to find Destiny crouching in front of me, concern filling her stormy eyes. Concern? That couldn’t be right.  
 “I’m sorry we frightened you,” she spoke slowly and contemplating, as if measuring each word before speaking it. She also had a faint accent I couldn’t place immediately, “It was dangerous in there for all of us if we stayed, we needed to make sure you were safe.”  
 “Safe?” I croaked. “Why would it matter to you if I was safe?”  
 “Because-” Destiny hesitated and her expression turned apologetic, “because we need your help.”  
 “Well you’re off to a great start then,” I gave a weak smile. Destiny’s gentle voice had soothed most of my nerves though and I found myself thinking much clearer. Why would these two need my help? They looked much stronger and certainly more confident than I. Unless…  
 “We know who you are,” Catalina’s sharp voice caused me to jump and ice crept back into my veins as she confirmed my worst fear.  
 Destiny grit her teeth and shot a look at Catalina that said “I had this”. When she turned back to me her face relaxed and she offered a soothing smile, “She only means we know you’re a wizard.”  
 I blinked at the girl and opened my mouth then closed it again and frowned. After another second I tried again, “But… But how could you know that?”  
 Destiny’s brow furrowed slightly and she hesitated as if wondering if it was a trick question. Fortunately for her, Catalina had no hesitations.  
 Cat barked out a sharp laugh, “I hope you’re not serious, everything about you screams wizard.” She gestured at me dramatically as if to emphasize her point. “For starters your hair is blue.”  
 I instinctively put a protective hand to my head. It was true my hair was blue, though it was a dark navy that probably looked black in the dim alley. She must have noticed in the shop.  
 “Only those with the ability to hold magic inside them,” Catalina continued, “can have unnaturally colored hair.”  
 I stared at her and offered no response. That was a simple way of stating it and I wasn't sure I'd use the term unnatural. However she wasn't wrong.  
 Catalina nodded as if my silence confirmed what she’d said. “And then there are your robes,” she looked almost disgusted at the mention of them, “they’re impractical and far too lavish for anyone below wizard standing.”  
 I tugged at the sleeve of my robe. I knew they were impractical and did little to protect me from the cold, but I’d taken my most nondescript garments I had when I’d left. I stared up at the two girls trying to judge my next move; they seemed to be waiting for a reaction of some kind. I tried to steady my breath before asking, "And.. how does this information help you?" What I really wanted to ask was if they really knew who I was and planned on turning me in, but if they didn't then I didn't want to give them any ideas. The thought shot another dagger of ice through my stomach.  
 The captain and Destiny exchanged a look. "It's a complicated story..." Catalina said hesitantly.  
 "And not one we should discuss in a freezing dark alley," Destiny finished. She reached out her hand for mine, "we promise you'll be safe, you wouldn't be any help to us if you weren't." I supposed that was meant to be reassuring and sadly it was. "Come with us back to our room at the inn, you need to get warm." I started to extend my arm, warm did sound amazing. It seemed like I couldn't remember the last time I'd been truly warm.  
 "The inn?" Catalina interjected sounding annoyed. "We should set sail now; it's not safe in this town anymore."  
 Destiny sighed and gave the elder girl a small forced smile through gritted teeth, "We can't uproot the crew in the middle of the night Cat," she explained slowly, "let them sleep, Penelope needs rest as well. Besides we can't force her on the ship with us before she understands the situation."  
 Catalina huffed but didn't argue and Destiny turned back to me her face suddenly transformed with the same gentle smile as before, hand still extended. I finally took it and we stood up together.  
 Catalina squinted down the lightless ally. "Right," she started, "I'm pretty sure the inn is this way." She marched off in that direction without a second thought. I glanced at Destiny who shrugged and started following the captain into the shadows, swinging the gun in her hand and starting to hum softly. The sound echoed eerily off the buildings around us. I looked back in the direction we'd come from and saw nothing but blackness. Sighing in resignation I followed the two insane girls into the gloom.


	2. Chapter 2

 The inn was a simple wooden structure, and the girls’ room was sparsely furnished. Two cots lined opposite walls, a low wooden table was shoved between them, and a stove in the corner kept the entire room comfortably warm.  
 It had started drizzling on the way there and my robes were now soaked through by the icy pinpricks. Catalina tossed me a coarse wool blanket and allowed me to settle onto the cot closest to the stove. Soon my shivering started to subside.  
 I eyed the two girls warily. Destiny sat cross legged on the other cot and Catalina leaned against the wall next to her, tapping a foot impatiently. The minutes seemed to drag by. I began to wonder if maybe I was supposed to say something. I shrank farther into the blankets and cleared my throat softly. “So um…” I began, “what did you need to tell me?”  
 Destiny sighed and shifted uncomfortably, “Sorry, I just can’t decide where to begin. It’s a rather complicated story as we said…” She glanced up at Catalina for help who frowned thoughtfully but seemed at a loss for words.  
 “Well,” I started uncertainly, “if I might suggest, maybe starting with who exactly you two are?”  
 “Oh,” Destiny exclaimed softly, as if the thought hadn’t occurred to her before.  
 The captain seemed to regain her confidence instantaneously and chuckled, flashing a devilish grin that made me feel uneasy. “That’s easy,” she proclaimed, “we’re pirates.”  
 I blinked at her, not fully comprehending. “I’m sorry?”  
 “That’s right,” she confirmed, ignoring my bewildered state, “I’m Captain Catalina of the Blue Dawn and Destie here,” she tilted her head at the girl on the ground, “is my first mate.” Catalina was smirking as she watched me, enjoying the suspense before my reaction.  
 We sat in uncomfortable silence while I digested the news. “You mean like,” I eventually tried, “pillaging and plundering pirates? Pirates with weapons who steal and kill?” The blanket was starting to feel uncomfortably warm and I felt myself starting to sweat.  
 Catalina dropped her smile and flashed a concerned glanced at Destiny, “Well no, not exactly like that.”  
 Destiny finally interjected. “We do steal sometimes,” she conceded, “but we try not to hurt anyone.” She frowned at Catalina as if unsure how to answer, “I mean we do have to eat, and an entire crew to feed.”  
 “I- I see.” However I didn’t really understand much at all. “Are there many of you?”  
 Destiny nodded, “Oh sure, it’s a pretty expansive community.”  
 I frowned; this was making less and less sense. “No.. no that doesn’t sound right,” I shook my head and put a hand to my temple, “I would have heard if there were pirates running around all over the Spiral.”  
 One of the girls snorted humorlessly and I glanced back up, it had most likely been Catalina. “Wizards don’t pay us any attention; they apparently have much better things to do.” The captain’s words were laden with sarcasm and I felt a little stung. Of course Wizards had important things to do. Weren’t they were responsible for keeping the Spiral safe?  
 Catalina continued, heedless to my growing frown. “Of course as long as we don’t make too much noise, otherwise they’re sure to shut that down,” she spat bitterly, pushing away from the wall and seeming agitated. I didn’t know entirely what she was talking about, but regardless of my discomfort her tone told me to keep quiet.  
 I sank farther into the blankets, pressing my back to the wall. Catalina paused, seeming to forget what she was supposed to be talking about before getting worked up. Destiny quietly picked up where she had left off, her voice soothing after the captain’s outburst. “Although that isn’t entirely true now… Which then brings us to our problem.”  
 I held in a breath and even Catalina stilled as we waited for the smaller girl to gather her words. “As you know, Wizards among the non-magical are nearly gods in terms of power. Although, as Catalina already said, Wizards leave us alone for the most part; so long as we stay in our, erm.. ‘place’,” she tripped over the last word awkwardly as if it weren’t quite the phrasing she had wanted to use. “But that no longer seems to be the case,” she continued.  
 I vaguely wondered if the accent in Destiny’s voice was because English wasn’t her first language. It would explain why her way of speaking was so infuriatingly slow. I silently begged her to get to the point.  
 “There’s a new pirate captain that has been terrorizing the Skyways. One who isn’t simply satisfied with living outside the law or even seems to have much of a desire for gold.” She shook her head sadly, golden strands tumbling across her face. “He seems to have a hunger only for power, and can only sate that hunger with terrorizing and destroying those under him.”  
 I suppose I could see how that would be a problem, but I wanted to ask what I had to do with the situation. Shouldn’t this be a problem for the authorities to handle? Or couldn’t they simply take care of this captain themselves or join with other pirates? I decided however it would be best to not interrupt her or we might never finish.  
 “The Skyways are no longer safe for any of us,” she went on, “and there’s nothing we can do to fight back, which is why we need you.” Destiny stared intently at me. Her cloudy grey gaze may have been even more insane than Catalina’s. Despite the warm room I shivered. Where Catalina’s stare was intense, Destiny’s was unsettling.  
I glanced down to escape her eyes and she kept going, “That is because this captain is also a wizard.”  
 My heart instantly dropped as I started to put the pieces together. Honestly I should have guessed it was coming to this the minute they made my wizard status known. However I’d been too consumed in my fear to come to the conclusion.  
My stomach began churning uneasily as I considered what they might do once they found out there was no way I could help them. I shifted the blanket off my shoulders, suddenly extremely warm while I watched my chance at getting off this island slip away with Destiny’s fatal words.  
The girls were staring at me relentlessly, waiting for a reply. The rain was picking up outside and the sound was drumming into my thoughts, making it difficult to focus.  
 I tried to consider my options. I could lie and go with them then run away as soon as we were out of Mooshu. I never was a very good liar though, and I had a feeling being caught in that lie would have much more dire consequences. Also by now I’d hesitated for a suspicious amount of time.  
 No, lying wasn’t an option at this point.  
 Which only left telling the truth and losing my best chance of escape.  
 I took a deep calming breath, which actually did very little to steady my pounding heart. “Well,” I started and winced when my voice cracked, “unfortunately, there’s nothing I can do to help you with that.”  
 Catalina’s expression immediately turned dangerous, “Can’t or won’t?” Her tone was venomous.  
 “Cat,” Destiny admonished, ready to jump in and hold her partner back if needed.  
 I rushed to explain, “It’s ok. I really would help if I could.” This wasn’t a lie, although it wasn’t out of the goodness of my heart. I would do almost anything at this point in order to get off this island. “Unfortunately..” my voice trailed off, not ready to speak the truth out loud. As if saying the words would officially make it true.  
 However I knew it was already the truth, nothing I could do at this point was going to change it. So I gathered up my courage and tried again. “Unfortunately I am no longer a Wizard.”  
 Both girls looked taken aback. Destiny turned her head and exchanged a glance with Catalina who opened her mouth, closed it, frowned, and then tried again. “I don’t understand, I thought wizardry was genetic. How can you just lose that?”  
 I plucked at a thread in the blanket and tried to figure out the best way to explain the situation without revealing too much. “Well you see.. of course I can still use magic. However the Wizard City authorities have taken away my wizard title so technically speaking it’s illegal to cast anything.”  
 The captain rolled her eyes, “And you’re just going to let that stop you?”  
 I scowled up at the girl, “It’s more complicated than that. Of course being caught just casting spells is pretty unlikely. But a Wizard’s power is more than that. A lot of our strength is from enchanted gear or wands, and things like rings are enchanted to increase the amount of mana we can store. So when I was stripped of my title all those things were taken from me, without them there’s no way I could defeat another wizard.”  
 “I see,” Destiny commented softly, almost sympathetically, “I think I understand. For an average civilian of the Spiral it’s illegal to buy Wizard products.”  
 Catalina groaned and spun on her heal to face the other direction. “Great, just great,” she ran a hand anxiously through her hair, “you know how rare it is to find Wizards running around these parts of the Spiral?”  
 Destiny silently watched the tall woman pace around the room. She opened her mouth about to say something but was interrupted by a loud rap on the door.  
 Cat halted in her steps and gave Destiny a wary glance, but a masculine voice with a thick Marleybonian accent came booming from the other side of the door. “Captain! We’ve got a problem!”  
 The captain sighed and relaxed, “Come in Ed, it’s open.”  
 The door slid open to reveal a tall figure, taller than Catalina even, outlined by the black night. He was unmistakably Marleybonian, a stern looking Retriever with graying fur. While he looked slightly more disheveled than the other prim and proper Dogs of Marleybone I’d come across, he was still well groomed and stood rigid.  
 The Dog, Ed I assumed, swept the room with a steady eye. He paused at my small figure huddled on the cot then quickly turned to Catalina as if my presence meant nothing.  
 “Picked up another stray have you?” he asked casually, as if his urgent entrance had never happened.  
 Catalina waved her hand dismissively, “Not exactly, but no time for that now. What was the problem?”  
 Ed turned an eye towards me and raised an eyebrow in curiosity. His main attention remained focused on the captain however. “Ah right, well there’s a large storm heading this way from the mainland. The locals are saying it looks like it could last a couple days at least, so if you wanted to leave this island anytime soon I’d suggest we do so now.” He spoke surprisingly calmly, as if now that his message had been delivered he could relax and leave the decisions to Catalina.  
 The girl took the news much less lightly though. Catalina cursed and smacked the table, “Krakens.. I swear.. ok get the crew up and to the ship, we’ll meet you as soon as we can?” She ended the last note on a question aimed towards Destiny who was quietly watching the exchange. The blonde woman simply nodded her agreement.  
 “Very well,” Ed acknowledged and tipped a head respectfully to each of them before stalking out the door and into the rain.  
 “Damn Storm Wizards,” Catalina grumbled once he was gone.  
 I instantly bristled, “What.. what do you mean?”  
 My tone must have indicated my mood somewhat because Catalina looked slightly alarmed, and maybe even a little ashamed. However her sour temper shone through, “Oh come on, a massive storm, in the middle of Fall, coming from the Jade Palace? That’s not nature, that’s a Storm Wizard.”  
 “Well more than one…” I mumbled under my breath.  
 Catalina paused, “I’m sorry?”  
 “N-nothing,” I stuttered, “just that sure Storm magic often has unintended effects such as a storm… but a storm of this size couldn’t have been caused by just one Wizard.”  
 The captain stared at me for a second longer then scoffed, “Whatever, the point still stands that this is their fault.” She quickly moved away after that comment, obviously considering the conversation finished. The woman busied herself with packing up the random lose objects around the room.  
 Meanwhile Destiny, who had still remained silent for some time now, excused herself from the room. I’d wanted to object, not wanting to be left alone in the room with the much more abrasive Catalina, but she slipped out before I had the chance to open my mouth.  
 The minutes to come were extremely awkward. Catalina did her best to ignore me while I crouched out of the way. I wondered if I should just leave, my presence was surely not welcome anymore. However I decide to at least wait until they kicked me out, so that I could enjoy these few last minutes of warmth.  
 Destiny returned quickly, just as Catalina was heaving two full bags onto the table to knot closed.  
 She was carrying a bundle of cloth, mostly brown, and made her way directly to my spot on the floor. She crouched and stretched out her arms to offer me the bundle, which I could only stare at in bewilderment.  
 “Here,” she urged softly, “you’ll freeze in those robes, it gets very chilly on the ship.”  
 The ship?  
 That wasn’t right, why would I be on a ship? I was stuck on this island.  
 Destiny faltered when she saw me not responding, her expression grew worried and embarrassed. “I mean only if you want them… It will help I promise.”  
 Catalina glanced over away from her task and scowled at me. “She means on our ship, you are coming right?”  
 It finally dawned on me what they were suggesting, “You mean you still want me to come? Even though I can’t help you?” I asked, taken aback.  
 The captain sighed and slung a bag over her shoulder, “It’s not like we have a lot of options, right now you’re our best bet. We’ll just have to figure out something later. Now hurry up and get changed.”  
 I quickly took the bundle from Destiny, my spirits starting to lift as it seemed my freedom was finally at hand.  
 I changed hurriedly and without a word, deciding to do as little to annoy Catalina as possible. The clothes fit me surprisingly well, although I had to roll up the sleeves and pant legs a little. I wondered where Destiny had procured them, as neither of the girl’s clothes would have fit me in the slightest. Destiny was very petite in general and while Catalina’s height would have been closer, she had a slender, wiry frame where I was slightly plumper in areas.  
 Once I was dressed I pulled my boots back on and the short leather jacket from the bundle. I folded up my previous amethyst garment and tucked it under my arm, not willing to let it go however impractical they may be.  
 Catalina nodded her approval and signaled we move out.  
 The cold was a brutal shock, however the new clothes did well to protect me from the chill wind. Once the rain hit, the cold intensified; however it brought me a sense of comfort. I raised my face toward the oncoming shower and closed my eyes.  
 “This is gonna be a close call,” Catalina’s voice came from my left and I turned to see her hand over her eyes, peering into the gloom of oncoming clouds. Her hair whipped widely out of her ponytail, and just beyond her I glimpsed Destiny observing me.  
 I looked away quickly. “You’re right,” I agreed with the captain, “that’s one hell of a storm.”  
 Cat sighed audibly over the wind, “Alright, let’s hurry up.” She spun around and forged her way forward. Destiny and I began to follow.  
 As we scurried after the tall woman’s quick stride, I noticed Destiny was careful to keep pace with me. I glanced at her from time to time but her gaze remained directly ahead. Finally she spoke, so softly I almost missed it over the sound of the rain.  
 “You are a Storm Wizard aren’t you?”  
 I looked down surprised, but her stare forward remained unchanged.  
 Lightning far in the distance lit up the sky to our right, and I felt the electricity tingle the air. I let out a shaky breath, almost half a sob. “Yes, I am.”  
 Destiny didn’t respond and we walked in a strangely more comfortable silence as the downpour picked up speed and the masts of restlessly bobbing ships drew nearer.


	3. Chapter 3

 A brisk wind howled on the pier buffeting the docked ships against the wooden planks. The heavy rain made it difficult to see more than a couple feet ahead. All in all, traversing the docks was tricky and very dangerous.  
 Catalina and Destiny, however, seemed oblivious to the weather and strode ahead confidently.  
 I picked my way across much more cautiously while trying to keep sight of the girls. The captain’s dark hair and coat caused her to fade in the gloom, but Destiny’s bright blonde head bobbing along was easy enough to keep track of.  
 The trek, though fairly short, seemed to take ages as I battled the wind and kept a wide berth between myself and the open sky. Soon however, I caught up to the two women standing beside a massive ship. They seemed to be deep in conversation but I couldn’t hear them over the wind.  
 I looked up at the boat, there seemed to be a lot of activity on board. Figures bustled about on the deck and furled sails flapped wildly as if begging to be released.  
 It wasn’t the largest ship docked, but it was far more impressive than the fishing vessel that had brought me to the island. The ship’s origin wasn’t familiar to me, but it looked like a craft straight out of a pirate picture book.  
 “Penelope!” Catalina’s voice was suddenly sharp in my ear, startling me away from my observations. “Destiny tells me you’re a Storm Wizard,” she shouted, “is there anything you can do to help?” She waved an arm wildly behind her, gesturing at the oncoming storm.  
 I wiped rain out of my eyes, a fruitless gesture, and turned to the captain, “Well, Storm Wizards are really better at... fueling storms, not stopping them.” Catalina looked irritated and I racked my brain. It wasn’t a request I’d dealt with before, Diviners weren’t often approached when wanting to calm chaos.  
 Destiny stood up on her toes to say something to the tall woman that was lost in the wind. Catalina nodded and the blonde departed quickly, trudging up the gangplank and out of sight.  
 “There’s no way we can set sail in this,” Catalina turned back to me and grumbled, “and now that all the other crews in town know you’re here, being stuck on an island with them is going to be dangerous.”  
 I started in alarm. Why would that be dangerous? And when did all these ‘other crews’ find out about me?  
 Now wasn’t really the time for questions though. I had the vague beginnings of a plan; it wasn’t full proof but maybe enough to get us ahead of the storm.  
 I ran a hand through my sopping wet hair, “I might have an idea, I can’t promise it’ll work perfectly and it’s not something I’ve ever attempted on something as big as a ship.” A look of relief passed over Catalina’s face and a smile started to grow. I quickly went on before her hopes got too high, “It won’t work very long; it’ll have to be timed right.”  
 Catalina grinned, “A crazy plan, my favorite.” She grabbed my hand and started pulling me toward the gangplank, “Come on, we’ll figure it out on the ship.”  
 Once on board Catalina singled out Destiny surprisingly quick in the chaos and pulled her aside. Upon spotting us Ed sauntered over.  
 “Good news Ed!” Catalina exclaimed, “We’re setting sail after all! Penelope here’s got a plan.” Some of the crew paused at their captain’s outburst, there seemed to be a wide assortment of races from what I could glance. However, they quickly went about their business.  
 Except for one young man, who dropped the bundle of rope he was carrying and hurried over curiously.  
 It was difficult to place his age in the squall, but I wouldn’t say he was any older than the captain. He was slightly taller than me and had dark skin and eyes paired with a mischievous grin. He walked with a bounce, almost a skip, regardless of the madly swaying deck. “Oi, is it true cap’n?!” He called with a thick Marleybonian accent, “Ya really find one?”  
 Catalina glanced over, momentarily distracted from what she was about to say next, “Not right now Ethan.”  
 Ethan ignored her and hopped into the middle of the crowd to peer uncomfortably close at me. I took an unsteady step back on the rocking deck. “A real Wizard, eh?”  
 Ed tugged at the back of Ethan’s coat pulling him back, “Come on boy, leave the lass alone. Go on and let the rest of the crew we’re setting sail.”  
 Ethan hesitated, as if wanted to comment more, but eventually shrugged and scampered off.  
 “Now Penelope, onto the plan,” Catalina prompted, quickly recovering from the distraction.  
 “R-right,” I surveyed my audience, the three were hanging intently on my words. “Like I said it’s not a very good plan, but Storm magic isn’t built for calming anything. It does the opposite really, creates storms like this,” I gestured to the sky. “So, if this storm really is created by magic, I can maybe get a Storm shield around the whole ship. I’ve never done a shield that large but it shouldn’t be much different than shielding multiple people.”  
 I could see the pirates weren’t in complete understanding, but I hoped they were at least grasping the concept. “It’ll give us a brief refuge from the storm, so the sails won’t be torn apart at least. Now I have another spell, called soothe. It’s used to calm enemies, put them in kind of a stupor for a period of time, so I’ve never used it on a non-sentient force before… but I have a feeling it may work in calming the storm as well. It’s worth a try at least.”  
 Catalina was nodding along with my words, seeming to pick up. “Ok, ok, so if we can catch a wind we can get ahead of the storm at least with your shielding.”  
 I nodded my agreement, “And I might be able to help with the wind as well… Most of my spells are too unpredictable to create a direct wind; however creatures I summon are much easier to control. And I have just one that might be strong enough to create a wind to help you set sail.”  
 Catalina was grinning madly and even Destiny had a crazy gleam in her eye, “I’ll take the helm,” the younger girl declared and hurried off.  
 The captain laughed wildly, “Oh this’ll be fun, Ed you get the crew in position. We have to make sure we time this right. Penny, with me.” She pranced off toward the back of the ship and I struggled to follow, unable to find my footing on the swaying ground. I stumbled along, Ed was barking out orders behind me and the gangplank was raised.  
 Catalina and I reached the back of the ship. I gripped the railing as a particularly strong gust of wind rocked the ship and we started drifting away from the dock.  
 I looked at Catalina alarmed, “Should we be moving already?”  
 Catalina waved my concern off, “We have to get the heading before we start your plan, we’re going to power to the nearest storm gate before the storm overtakes the whole Skyway.”  
 I nodded and swallowed nervously, the ship was rocking even more violently now.  
 “Ok,” Cat turned to me, “put up the shields when you’re ready.” I marveled for a moment how she was able to stand so steadily in this turmoil.  
 I quickly shook off my nervousness and any distractions to prepare for the spells. I spread my legs wide to steady myself and carefully let go of the railing. The storm roared and rain blinded me, I had cast spells in worse conditions, however. I tried to calm myself and focus. I began to trace the symbols.  
 My hand remembered the motions as second nature, soon a neon violet Storm symbol hovered in front of me. I distantly heard Catalina’s gasp beside me, but I kept my focus and channeled it into the symbol. I directed my mana, focusing enough to cover the entire ship and the shield began to form.  
 A wall of brilliant purple shimmered into existence. The shield stood nearly as tall as the ship and suddenly it was calm. The storm continued raging, muted beyond the barrier that now protected the ship.  
 A stunned silence fell among the ship’s inhabitants as well; it took a harsh word from Ed to get the crew out of their stupor and activity picked up once more.  
 I didn’t have any time to waste however as I could already see cracks forming along the edges of the shield as the storm beat at it relentlessly. Already I had another storm symbol forming in front of me and I quickly cast it. This time a white dove sprang forth.  
 The dove cocked its head at Catalina and I before taking off. It shimmered as it passed through the shield and I lost sight of the small bird. I silently prayed it would work.  
 I glanced at Catalina out of the corner of my eye but she was watching the shield with a look of awe.  
 Then suddenly an even more deafening silence fell as the storm outside was subdued. Catalina blinked, startled back to reality. She spun to face the crew, “Now Ed!” she bellowed.  
 Ed started up commands to unfurl the sails and suddenly cloth came billowing down from the sky, limp and ready to pick up the first sign of wind.  
 “Ready when you are,” Catalina directed at me.  
 I nodded nervously and took a deep breath, this was the part of the plan I was least sure about. I started drawing the symbol anyways and tried to keep my mind focused. My rattled mind tried to conjure the right words to summon the creature.  
 Thankfully the verse came spilling out as if second nature and lightning flashed dangerously close to the mast. An earsplitting shriek echoed from the sky but I kept my focus as the sky continued to brighten. On the last words of the verse the creature burst from the brightest strike of electricity yet.  
 Its golden wingspan dwarfed the ship and the bird of prey’s glowing white eyes considered its occupants hungrily. The owl opened its dagger sharp beak and shrieked deafeningly, even I winced at the sound.  
 My head swam and the ship seemed to tip dangerously. I quickly sent out a silent order to my summoned creature and its great wings beat wildly, creating a gust of wind that sent the ship shooting away from the dock. My heart beat madly and black spots filled my vision. Had I overdone it? Surely I had enough mana for this.  
 Before I was able to call out for help, the deck rushed up at me and the world went black.


End file.
